Wind swept through Danny's hair as he soared above the town. He was scanning the city below when he felt a blast from above.
"Has the muggy air dulled your senses, boy, or are you always this slow?" came a cocky voice.
"Vlad," Danny grit his teeth. He turned up a glare at the vampire wannabe, who had his arms crossed gloatingly as he floated mid-air. "What do you want?"
"Many things, boy - world domination, your father dead, your mother in my bed," he smirked as Danny gave him a disgusted look. "And you at my side," he added flippantly.
Danny narrowed his eyes. "That'll never happen," he spat.
"Not yet, my dear boy," Vlad stated with a fanged grin that promised pain. "But in due time." Danny flew back a few feet and took a defensive stance. His expression was grim with the thought of facing off against a foe who had twenty more years of experience than he had. The only times that Danny had been able to outmatch the man, which were few and far between, he'd used trickery and underhanded tactics. Skulker would be ashamed.
Speaking of Skulker…
"You sent Metalhead at me this morning!" Danny shouted angrily, pointing an accusing finger at Plasmius as realization sank in.
Vlad rolled his eyes. "Please, I just had him check the new defensive measures your parents installed in the school, which, knowing Jack, were unsurprisingly subpar." He then turned a wicked grin at Danny. "And he was so desperate to get funding to protect his helpless sons, too. Pathetic, really."
Danny clenched a fist. "I'm going to say this one last time, Plasmius. Why are you here?"
"Now, Daniel. Don't be a sour grape, I'm just checking in on my little badger." He relished in Danny's fuming expression before giving him a calculating stare. "I heard your brother has returned from his mysterious school."
Danny's glare dropped and a knowing smirk grew on his face. "Your spies couldn't find anything on him, could they?"
Vlad's expression soured. "No, they were quite useless," he admitted bitterly before smirking at Danny. "So I've decided to ask one of my unwilling informants."
It was Danny's turn to sour. "I'm not telling you anything, Vlad," he stated fiercely.
"Who said I was asking?" Plasmius responded, throwing an ectoblast. Danny dodged it, but just barely. It singed his hair as he threw up a shield over his vitals. When the blast hit, it caused fissures along the surface of the shield to form. Knowing that one more blast would break through it, Danny quickly released the shield and met Vlad's next ectoblast with one of his own.
"I'm sure you feel it, too, Daniel. Your brother is not normal." A duplicate appeared behind Danny and continued, "I'm inclined to believe you know why." Before Danny could turn to defend, he was kicked across the sky. As Danny flew, Vlad teleported in front of him with a smirk. Danny tried to stop before the man's roundhouse kick could send him flying, but failed miserably. Struggling to control himself mid-flight, Danny shakily came to a stop.
Plamius laughed as he floated nearby. "You make it too easy, boy! Do try to be a challenge, yes?" Panting, Danny sent him a glare, only to break away when the sound of screeching tires reached his ears. Flinching at the familiar sound, Danny looked down to see his parents haphazardly driving their way. Maddie's head was poking out the window with the ecto-bazooka trained on them. "Oh butter biscuits," Vlad exclaimed. "I'll have to postpone our sparring match for later."
Danny gave him a dry look at the comment. He didn't agree that trying to torture someone for information was considered 'sparring'. Vlad smirked at Danny's expression and gave him a wave. "Ta!" With that, Plasmius vanished in a puff of magenta smoke.
Danny glowered enviously at the dissipating mist. Not only did Vlad have years of experience on him, but he had also developed powers that Danny could only dream of having. Danny had painstakingly spent hours trying to copy the older half-ghost's power only to come up empty every time. He wished that Vlad wasn't so much of a jerk so that he could just ask the man to train him.
A woosh of air jolted Danny back into reality. He was lucky his dad was such a poor shot. "Get back here, spook!" came the shrill voice of his mother. His dad might miss a sitting duck, but his mother was someone you did not want to mess with. Danny gave them a mock salute before disappearing. Invisible, he made his way home.
Harry trudged home dejectedly. The day had been exhausting, and thinking about spending two whole months this way was draining. He was beginning to realize that he didn't fit into the muggle world he used to be a part of. Or was it America he didn't fit into? Either way, Harry couldn't help but feel like an outsider.
Walking upstairs, Harry spotted Jazz reading his Standard Book of Spells: Grade Two in her room .
"See anything you like in there?" he asked curiously.
Jazz pondered the question. "Maybe… Does eye contact matter when you're casting a spell?"
"Just for some curses. It's not common amongst other spells," he replied, thinking back to the time when Hermione and Ron had falsely thought Snape was cursing his broom back in their first year. Harry eased onto the bed across from her place at her desk, taking comfort in the familiarity of a conversation about magic.
"That makes sense," Jazz said with a thoughtful expression. "Is that what makes charms different from curses?"
Harry took a moment to think back. "Professor Flitwick said something about curses leaving behind a negative effect, or something. I'm not completely sure," he stated.
Jazz gave a low hum in thought. Silence fell between the pair, causing Harry to dredge up memories from the day.
"Can I ask you something?" he asked suddenly.
"Of course," Jazz said, closing the book and giving him her full attention.
Harry hesitated before blurting, "Do I sound weird when I talk?"
Jazz took a moment to study her brother before responding. "No, you just sound like someone who lives in the UK for most of the year."
"I wish other people would see it the way you do," Harry grumbled bitterly.
She gave him a kind smile. "Rough day?"
"Understatement," he mumbled. He fell back on the bed to stare at the ceiling. "They were relentless, Jazz. Anytime I opened my mouth, they would all laugh. And if it wasn't my accent, it was the fact that I have no idea what's going on in clas s !" He saw Jazz's confused face and added, "They put me in Danny's grade."
"At least you had one friendly face," Jazz supplied unhelpfully. Harry sent her a glare. She frowned in return. "Are you still mad Danny? Really?!"
"I wouldn't be in this situation if he hadn't needed summer school!" Harry shot back.
Jazz took a deep breath. "Harry, I know you're better than this. You know he didn't mean for Mom and Dad to send you to summer school. Blaming Danny for all your problems will not solve them, it'll just make it worse for you and Danny." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sometimes in life you're handed things you don't want to deal with. Lemons, if you will. The best thing you can do for yourself is to bear through it the best you can - hence the phrase make lemonade. Don't just squirt the lemons in someone else's eye because you are upset."
In his heart, Harry knew she was right. Dealing with school while simultaneously ignoring the one person who could actually make it bearable was counterproductive.
Harry changed the subject. "Dash was at it again."
"Nothing new." Jazz rolled her eyes.
Harry gave her a pointed look. "You're doing it, too!"
"Doing what?" she asked, bewildered.
"When Danny was pinned by Dash, it was like he didn't even care that he was about to get the snot beat out of him. He even goaded Dash to attack! And you!" He pointed dramatically. "You just act like it's a normal Monday, when years ago you'd be tracking Danny down to make sure he's alright!"
Jazz was startled by his sudden outburst but quickly collected herself. "Harry," she began hesitantly. "You've been gone for a while. We've all grown up a bit and Danny's learned to fight his own battles."
"If fighting his own battles means getting the living daylights beat out of him, then he's doing a great job," Harry commented sarcastically.
Jazz smiled. "To me, it seems like Danny's trying his best to fulfill a promise he made years ago to someone he loves and admires." Harry looked at her confused. "Someone who told him that bullies aren't gonna stop with just him? Asked Danny to help others, because he couldn't be there to help? Ring any bells?"
Harry swallowed thickly as he thought back to the night before he left for Hogwarts for the first time. He didn't realize Danny had taken him so seriously. Guilt began to settle as Harry realized that today when he provoked Dash, Danny was protecting him.
Jazz gave a satisfied smile. "To Danny, it's worth getting the living daylights beaten out of him if he's helping someone else," she stated proudly, before chuckling at her joke, though it was lost on Harry. Harry looked at her questioningly, but she waved him off.
"You've figured it out," Harry commented after a moment, eyeing Jazz suspiciously. "What was going on with Danny back in December- you've figured it out."
Jazz rolled her eyes. "You would have, too, if you hadn't been such a nincompoop, and had actually listened to him! He's only been trying to tell you since you've returned!"
Harry raised his hands placatingly. "Ouch, okay! I'm hearing you loud and clear. I'll talk to Danny when he gets home."
Jazz looked at him proudly. "That's my pig-headed brother."
"It's hog- warty , Jazz," a voice rang from the hallway. Danny's face peered through the open door. "He doesn't like it when you get the name wrong." Harry stared at his brother, taking note of his dishevelled appearance. His hair was rumpled and he looked worse for wear.
Jazz raised a brow at Harry, who gave her a timid smile before following Danny downstairs. "When did you get home?" he asked.
"Before you," Danny replied simply. When lying, it helped to be as vague as possible. He made his way through the living room.
"Danny, wait," Harry began. He saw his brother pause and frown. "Look, I've been really thick lately. I just wasn't expecting I'd have to go to school over the summer. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."
Danny raised a brow. "Are you apologizing? You're ready to be cool again?"
Harry smiled. "I was never cool, but yes."
Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Danny asked, "And you won't go bonkers when I say 'swine excrescence' instead of 'Hogwarts'?"
Harry scrunched up his nose. "That's gross."
Danny gave him a smirk. "That's not a yes, so I'll take it!" he beamed. "Wanna grab a snack and talk about Dash's secret teddy bear collection?"
"You're joking!" Harry laughed.
"Get this, they're even bubble gum pink," he snickered as he made his way towards the kitchen.
"How'd you even find that out?"
Danny opened his mouth to respond but cut off by the sight of his mom pouring Vlad Masters a cup of tea.
"What are you doing here?!" Danny shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the billionaire.
"Ah, Daniel. It is always a pleasure," Vlad smirked, as if Danny's attitude had no effect on him. "Nice hair, by the way. Is it a new trend for the young to burn off parts of their hair?"
Danny clenched his fist. "You're one to talk, Vlad, with your millenial wannabe man-do." He leaned in with a loud whisper. "Your grey hairs are not fooling anyone."
"Daniel James Fenton," Maddie scolded. Danny winced at his mother's stern voice, trying to ignore Vlad's satisfied smirk. "Vlad is our guest tonight," she continued. "Cut the hostilities and get him some milk for his tea." Danny looked as if that was the last thing he wanted to do, but withered at his mother's sharp gaze. He couldn't believe she was all buddy-buddy with the creep even after their adventure in Colorado. He slammed the carton on the table before sitting across from his adversary with a frown.
Harry watched his brother in shock at his blatantly rude behavior. He knew Danny hated the guy, but he hadn't realized how far that hatred went. Danny's bristled form all but shouted that something deeper was going on between the pair. He glared at the billionaire in suspicion. "To what do we owe this visit?" he asked with distrust.
Harry felt a shiver go down his spine as Vlad's gaze fell on him. "Harrison James Potter, yes?" He turned to Danny before Harry could correct him. "Funny how you two have the same middle name."
"James was Harry's father. A good man, too. I wish you could have had the chance to meet him," Maddie commented sadly. Vlad looked at her as she spoke fondly of her cousin's husband. Jealousy laced his features. "We were going to make him Danny's godfather, but he and his wife, Lily, passed away in a tragic accident before we could ask."
"He would have been a better godfather than you are, that's for sure," Danny grumbled.
"That's enough out you, mister!" Maddie shouted angrily. "Go out front and wait for your father to return with the food. Work on your attitude while you're out there."
Danny's glare faltered at the thought of leaving his family alone with his archnemesis, but took comfort in the hope that the billionaire wouldn't try anything too risky in this setting. Danny gave Vlad a final glare before stomping out of the kitchen.
"Vlad, I don't know what's gotten into him," Maddie said apologetically.
Vlad waved her off. "Not to worry, Maddie, dear, it's just a part of the raging hormones teens have to work through at their age." Maddie chuckled at the comment, not bothering to correct the man that Danny was not in fact a teenager. Harry wondered if she even knew how old her son was. "Besides, I'm sure the boy's not too happy about summer school."
"No, but I do appreciate all the help you've given in getting the anti-ghost equipment set up."
Vlad looked at Harry before saying, "Can't have that ghost-boy menace going wherever he feels like, especially with our children at stake." Harry looked back at him with confusion, causing Vlad to raise a brow.
"The sooner Invisobill is neutralized, the better. Ever since that specter showed up, ghosts have been wreaking havoc on the city. I have a good mind to think that he's the cause of all this," Maddie stated.
"Ever think it's because you opened a portal into the realm of ghosts that ghosts, including Invisobill, began to show up?" Jazz asked irritably as she walked into the kitchen. She turned toward their guest. "Vlad," she greeted. "Danny told me you were here." Her voice was relaxed, but Harry could tell she was alert and calculating. This only added to his confusion.
"Hello, Jasmine," Vlad replied. "Maddie, dear, should we move the conversation outside?"
"Sure! We may as well eat out there too, since it's a nice evening," Maddie exclaimed. She handed Harry and Jazz a stack of plates and cups, and the group proceeded outside.
Vlad continued their discussion as the table outside was prepared. "Knowing the ghost-boy's tenacity, he probably would've found a natural portal without the aid of Jack," he commented dryly, just as Jack and Danny walked out the back door with a stack of pizzas. Vlad smirked at the pair and continued. "He does have a tendency to show up where he is not wanted. You'd think he'd take the hint."
Thinking that the comment was either about him or his father, Danny sent the man a glare as he placed the pizzas on the table. Seeing no one respond angrily, it probably meant they were talking about his alter ego.
"Well I think Invisobill's doing the best he can to help a city that has little to no experience with ghosts," Jazz commented, confirming Danny's suspicions while simultaneously causing him to cringe at the loathsome name.
"How can you say that, Jazz? Fentons are born to kick ghost butt!" Jack exclaimed. "We don't need the help of a chaos-bringing ghost to stop the other specters."
"Chaos? He's saved more lives than anyone on the Police Ghost Catching Squad, and costs the city less money in property damage than any ghost hunter," Jazz argued. Harry listened as the conversation grew more and more confusing for the young wizard. Hadn't he heard of Invisobill briefly over Christmas Break? He didn't realize the ghost was annoying enough to be considered a public menace.
Danny slumped in his chair as his parents defended their peers and colleagues. He inwardly lamented that their dinners always included arguing over the death and destruction of ghosts. He tried to ignore the conversation and finish his dinner quickly, but found himself paling as the discussion inevitably turned hostile.
"-and when I finally get my hands on that spook, I'll make sure he'll never see the light of day again. He'll regret ever terrorizing our city when I rip him apart molecule by-"
"Harry got in a fight with Dash today!" Danny blurted, spouting out the first thing that came to his head.
"What the heck, Danny!" Harry shouted angrily.
Danny winced. "But, uh, he was only trying to help me out. Dash was being a jerk," he amended. Seeing his mother's face, he knew he and Harry were in for a lecture.
"Dashiel Baxter? He's the star quarterback at Casper, yes?" Vlad interjected before Maddie could say something. He nodded to himself. "That's right. He joined the Junior Leadership Society last summer, but was released early due to his poor behavior. It's sad to hear he didn't learn his lesson the first time."
Danny looked at his adversary stunned by his helpful defense. Was he a shade paler, too?
"Honey," Maddie began with concern. "Do I need to talk to the school about this?"
"No! Dash normally doesn't do that. He must've been having a bad day," Danny reassured quickly. The last thing he needed were his parents barging into the school, demanding retribution. He would never hear the end of it.
"Tell me, Daniel and Harrison, how was your first day of summer school?" Vlad asked
"Um, it's just Harry, sir, and it was alright, I guess," Harry shrugged, thankful for the change in the conversation, but not wanting to talk about school.
Danny grimaced in disgust as the billionaire used a knife to cut a piece of his pizza off, and proceeded to use a fork to eat it. Who does that? "It would've been a lot better if the mayor didn't send an inspector to check out the new ghost equipment," he growled.
"Now, Daniel, I'm only concerned about your safety," Vlad replied, giving Danny a smirk.
"I didn't see an inspector," Harry commented with confusion.
"It was during art," Danny replied, aggressively taking a bite out of his pizza.
"You should've asked us, Vladdie. I'd love to test the equipment." All three of the Fenton children winced at the thought. Danny would take Skulker any day over his dad.
"I'll keep that in mind, Jack," Vlad stated, though, by his tone, it didn't sound like he would give it much thought. He turned back to Danny. "You know, Daniel, you wouldn't have to attend summer school if you had just accepted my offer to help you," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Vladdie offered to help? Why didn't you take him up on it, Danno? He's a genius when it comes to math and English!" Jack exclaimed.
Because he'd make me kill you the second I said yes, and force me to be his apprentice/son/pet thing! Danny thought through grit teeth. "He was asking for too much in return," he bit out instead.
Vlad sighed gently. "All I was asking for was for some help with a few odd jobs around the town. Really, Daniel, you talk as if I was asking you to help me take over the world," he laughed patronizingly. Danny wanted to shout that that was exactly what the man had asked him to do, but bit his tongue. No one would take him seriously, and he'd just end up in more trouble. "You really have no one to blame but yourself." Harry frowned at the condescending tone Vlad took when he spoke to his brother.
As if sensing his glare, Vlad turned to Harry and smiled. "So, Harry, I haven't seen you around the town since I moved here. It's as if you've been gone," he hinted. Danny narrowed his eyes. The man was still fishing for information. Not only that, but he was using his parents' presence to prevent them from leaving or refusing to answer.
"I go to my parents' old school in the UK," Harry replied, not knowing that there was an evil plot afoot. "It's a boarding school, so I'm only home in the summer and Christmas."
"It must not be a very good school if you have to go to summer school here," Vlad stated, taking a sip of his tea. Harry grit his teeth at his words.
"They teach a different curriculum at my school," Harry began, only to be cut off by Vlad.
"What school wouldn't teach math and science?" he mocked.
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but realized he didn't know what to say to the billionaire. He couldn't just admit that the school taught magic.
Jazz cut in softly. "Harry, it's okay to admit that you slacked off this year," she stated kindly, trying to give him an out.
It was an out that Harry didn't want to take it. He was sick of people judging himself and Hogwarts because of his lack of muggle knowledge.
"No," he said, angrily standing up. "I did not slack off this year, and Hogwarts is not a dumb school!"
Vlad widened his grin. "Hogwarts. Is that your school's name?" Danny began to choke on his water. It wasn't fair. Vlad was getting all the information he wanted and Danny could do nothing about it. He elbowed his brother to get him to stop talking, but Harry would not relent.
Instead, he met Vlad's grin with fiery eyes. "Yes, and it's the best school I've ever been to!"
"Well if it is as good of a school as you're saying, then you wouldn't be doing so poorly that you need to take supplemental classes. Now would you, boy?" Vlad persisted. Harry sputtered, not knowing how to respond. "And here Maddie is working her butt off to pay for your education. Such a shame to see you blow it off like you don't care."
"You don't know what you're talking about, Vlad," Danny stated angrily. "Mom and Dad don't even pay for Harry's school. His parents left him some money for his education."
"Your parents….. James and Lily Potter, yes?" Vlad asked.
Harry just continued to glare at the man while Danny replied with a curt "Yes."
"One might start asking if your parents death was actually a tragic accident, or from sheer stupidity based on their lack of education."
Maddie stood up sharply. "Vlad! Just because you are jealous-"
Harry couldn't take it anymore. "SHUT UP!" he shouted out at the man. Vlad's taunting smirk faltered as he looked at his stomach with confusion. He began to look sick, causing Danny to think there was a rogue gadget in the yard that still worked. He scoured the abandoned gadgetry for any signs of anti-ghost usage, but came up empty. When he returned his concerned eyes to the older half-ghost, they widened in shock. Vlad had not only grown twice his size, but he was continuing to grow. The Fentons and Harry were stunned as they openly gawked at the billionaire. Jazz was the first to act. She swiftly grabbed the knife Vlad had used to cut his pizza and made to saw off the man's necktie that was choking him.
Realizing that he had unwittingly used magic to blow up the evil man, Harry paled. His mind raced as he thought of the ministry storming in to take his wand for casting underage magic. I have to get out of here before they come! he thought with sinking dread. Harry sprinted upstairs to grab his things. They weren't going to take him willingly!
Vlad gurgled as his buttons began to pop off of his shirt, sending projectiles across the yard. Danny was jolted out of his daze when a button nailed his forehead. Rubbing it sorely, Danny quickly took action. Running towards his now floating adversary, he pulled him down by his pant leg and urgently whispered, "What's happening, Plasmius?!" Vlad, whose head could've won the largest pumpkin award had it been a shade oranger, gave him a confused look. He clearly had no idea what was going on.
Jack jumped on his friend in an attempt to keep him grounded, but doing so caused Danny to lose his grip. Slipping away, Vlad started to float higher as Jack lost hold of his friend. Maddie and Jazz gaped in horror as Vlad began to soar higher than they could reach, but Danny didn't give up. He ran inside and sprinted upstairs just as Harry came running down with his trunk. Suddenly everything became clear to Danny, but he didn't have time to talk to Harry before Vlad flew away.
"Harry, don't leave! I'll get Vlad and we'll return him back to normal. We can talk about this. You don't have to go."
Harry continued down the steps. "I can't, Danny. I'm leaving."
Danny watched him go for a moment before frustratingly deciding to save Vlad. "He better stop hunting me after this," he grumbled as he opened the latch of the Ops Center. Sprinting across the metal surface, Danny jumped in the air just as the massive mayor rose to roof level. Landing on top of Vlad, Danny felt himself begin to slip. Trying to grab any part of the spherical billionaire's slick suit was nearly impossible, and as Danny began to fall, he lashed out in one last effort to grab onto something.
Feeling a string between his fingers, Danny held on for dear life. Looking at the item in his clutches he smirked. "You're lucky you're nerdy enough to double knot your shoelaces, cheesehead," Danny snarked as he let his powers take over, turning Vlad intangible. The air passed through him, and Danny began to slowly sink so that it looked like Danny's weight was giving them a slow descent. "You know, you could've just done this from the get-go so that you wouldn't have floated away in the first place," he chuckled. The only response he heard was a groan from the billionaire. Danny continued to chuckle as he landed softly in the grass. Turning to his mom he said, "Grab the Fenton Fishing Line, it'll be strong enough to keep him grounded." And won't let him leave before we want him to, he added in his head.
Once Maddie came back, Vlad was quickly tied to the house. The Fentons watched as their bloated mayor bobbed up and down in the air.
"Think if we poke him with the Fenton harpoon, he'd pop?" Danny asked casually.
"Danny!" Maddie scolded. She dropped her frown and looked at her old college friend in consideration before coming to a decision. "Jack, grab the harpoon."
"On it, Babe!"
At this, Vlad began to wave his stubby arms in a panic.
"I think Harry did this," Jazz said suddenly. Danny looked at her with alarm.
"You're right! I told him to stay put while we fetched Vlad, but he left! He just ran away!"
Jazz looked at her frantic brother. "Danny, go after him. If anyone can find Harry it's you." She didn't need to mention his bird's eye view advantage, for Danny caught her subtext right away. He hesitated when he glanced at Vlad. Jazz followed his gaze. "We'll take care of things here," she reassured. "Just find Harry and bring him home."
Danny gave her a determined nod, and sprinted out of the yard.
He left the house in a hurry and crept along under its eaves. Scanning the area quickly for any onlookers, he quickly transformed into Phantom and took flight.
The lights from the city below sprinkled the ground, mirroring the stars in the sky. The small fluorescents from bikers and joggers reminded Danny of satellites lazily orbiting the exosphere, while the fast moving bursts of light from cars emulated comets zipping through the abyss. Throughout the city, late-night workers hurried home in an attempt to get away from the eerie chill that encompassed the night. Danny felt their urgency as he flew overhead searching for his brother. He finally found Harry briskly walking toward the outskirts of town. Danny ducked into a nearby alley and transformed. As Fenton, he ran over to the frazzled wizard.
"Harry, wait!" Danny called. Harry glanced over his shoulder but kept his fast pace. Danny ran to catch up. "Where are you going, why are you leaving?" he asked desperately.
"I can't stay Danny, I broke the law," Harry replied bitterly. "The ministry is probably on their way right now to break my wand and cast me out."
Danny shook his head. "That's ridiculous, you couldn't control it! It wouldn't make sense for them to expel you from the magical community for not being able to control your magic. Isn't that why you go to Hogwarts in the first place?!" Danny argued. "You didn't even use your wand to blow Vlad up - which was totally awesome by the way."
"Well, they won't see it that way!" Harry retorted. His lingering temper flared, causing Danny to hesitate.
Taking a deep breath, Danny looked at his brother and said in an even tone, "If you run now, you'll never be able to explain yourself. You'll look guilty."
Harry slowed his pace. "You don't get it, Danny. I'm already guilty," he said sadly before squaring his shoulders. "But I'm not gonna let them take my wand away from me. They won't be able to find me if I hop from place to place. I'll study magic on the go. It can't be too hard to learn the basics." He furrowed his brow in thought. "I'm gonna start by going to the Leaky Cauldron. It's risky, but it's the only way I can find Ron and Hermione. They're my best chance I have of hiding away, and they'll have to go there eventually to grab their school supplies," he planned out loud.
Danny felt his face fall during his brother's ramble. "What about your family?" he asked suddenly, trying to block the empty feeling creeping in. His thoughts were on Harry and his plan. If he ran from the government now, he'd never come home in fear of them finding out. Harry would have to start a new life without his family, and Danny didn't like the sound of that.
Harry, taking no notice of Danny's feelings, replied bitterly, "They're dead, Danny, and I don't think I have any relatives that are wizards." A thought started to form. "But, maybe there are people who knew Mom and Dad when they were alive that can help me. Surely they would understand my predicament and help me sor-"
"I meant us!" Danny growled as he stopped sharply.
Harry snapped out of his musing and paused to look back at Danny. "I'll visit when I can," he responded hesitantly.
Danny narrowed his eyes. "No you won't. You don't have any plans to return home because you know they'll be waiting for you when you do," he retorted.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Danny, I'm not gonna stay here and get my wand taken away." He looked at Danny's unwavering frown. "I don't want to live life as a muggle!" he exclaimed, releasing all his anger from the day in his outburst. Spending a day like this had been bad enough, and Harry refused to spend a lifetime like that.
Danny's expression darkened. "Is it really such a terrible thing to live life as a muggle?" he asked coolly, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice.
"You don't understand what I'd be giving up," Harry stated, shaking his head.
"If I had powers to do the impossible, I'd give them up in a heartbeat if it meant that I'd be with the ones I love," he stated both stubbornly and truthfully. His mind went back to the horrible day a week ago when soot and rubble had covered the ground and ash had blackened the sky. Back to the moment he thought Dan had killed his friends and family. Over the past few months, Danny had learned to accept his ghost-half, and knew it was now a part of him. In that moment, however, Danny had hated his ghost powers, and the monster they had created. If it ever came down to his family or his powers, he would easily choose his family. Even if it meant never experiencing the joy of flight and acting the hero again.
"If you had magic you wouldn't be saying that," Harry spat. His anger at Danny's ignorant pestering grew as the week's frustration resurfaced. Why was Danny always getting in the way? "Danny, you need to stop. This persistent demand for me to stay is not gonna solve anything. I understand you miss me, but you can't keep clinging onto me like a lost puppy. You need to grow up!" He took a deep breath. "Look, I know you're jealous that I have magic, but that doesn't mean you should insist I give it up. You don't have magic, and in the end, there's nothing you can do to stop me from leaving." He turned to leave, ignoring the tears welling in his brother's eyes.
Danny felt the tears, but refused to let them fall. He moved to stand in front of Harry forcing him to stop. With his hands on his hips he glared at Harry.
"Move," Harry said coldly. "Or I'll hex you," he added, taking out his wand.
Danny glanced at the wand, but didn't back down. Instead, he narrowed his eyes. "Forgive me for wanting to hang out with my brother, who I never see!" he shouted.
"You're not my real brother," Harry countered. He instantly regretted it as he saw the words slice through Danny.
Danny dropped his arms as a look of betrayal crossed his face. He quickly schooled his expression into a cold sneer. "You think you're so much better than me because you have magic," he growled as he balled his fist. "Well, fine! Leave! If we are so undeserving of your presence then I don't want you here." He moved past Harry harshly bumping into his shoulder. Before storming away, Danny looked over his shoulder and added, "Have fun running away from your problems."
"Screw you, Danny," Harry spat, turning to leave as well.
"Screw yourself," Danny called back as he kept walking.
Harry huffed as he continued down the path. He didn't need this right now. There were more important things to worry about, and the ministry could find him at any second. Pushing thoughts of Danny aside, Harry quickened his pace. He had wasted enough time thinking about his brother.
Harry walked as far as he could before his legs gave out. Sinking on a nearby swing he heard the bushes rustle. Must be the wind , he thought, pulling his jacket tighter around himself. He continued to stare into the bushes until he thought he spotted a pair of eyes looking back. Startled, Harry stood up in alarm. Before he could take further action, the sound of a blaring bus horn drew Harry's attention away from the bush and towards the street. A purple double-decker bus appeared in the middle of the street as if it had been waiting for the young wizard to arrive. Without a second thought, Harry ran into the bus in the hopes that it would give him refuge from not only the ministry, but also the things lurking in the dark.
"How could he say that?!" Danny yelled heatedly at no one in particular. He made his way back towards Fentonworks in an angry rage, unleashing his wrath on any poor pebble that dared to lay in his path. "Did he really think that's what I want?!" he shouted, sending another rock soaring.
Harry's hurtful words washed over Danny, and he let them sink in. His fiery gaze deflated into a bitter scowl as he looked down at the concrete. His shoulders slumped. "Is that really what he thinks of me?"
His conflicting thoughts voiced their opinions like an arguing courthouse. One voice argued that Harry had only run away and said those awful things because he was afraid of his situation and the looming consequences.
Another voice claimed that Harry was weak, and stated that taking the easy way out was a coward's game. Harry had chosen to run instead of fixing what he'd done. Did he not think that Jazz and Danny would defend him? Maybe he thinks muggles can't help him, Danny thought bitterly.
A small voice in the back of his head retaliated, telling him that Harry's fear was understandable and that Danny had had similar experiences with his ghostly adversaries. Danny ignored the voice and shoved it back into his subconscious.
He didn't even think twice about leaving us! Another voice shouted as his fiery temper rekindled. Harry was too busy planning his life as a wizard outlaw to even care that he was leaving his family behind. He was actually excited at the thought of living with his friends instead of here! Does Harry hate us because we're muggles?
Danny hid his hurt feelings behind his wall of rage as he mercilessly kicked another pebble angrily down the street. "Wizards think of muggles like my parents think of ghosts! Nothing but scum!" he spat bitterly.
The wind began to pick up and the chill of the night intensified. "One day I'll show them that they're all wrong," Danny vowed with angry determination. With these thoughts in mind, he stalked up the steps of Fentonworks.
Opening the door, Danny heard angry voices coming from the living room. He took off his shoes and glanced warily in their direction. Jazz was standing in the center of the room, with her hands on her hips, glaring at a short man wearing wizard robes and a bowler hat. Spotting Danny, the man furrowed his brow.
"Well? Did you find him?" he asked irritably. Danny frowned at the rude greeting, his temper already high.
"Don't tell this man anything, Danny!" Jazz growled, staring daggers at the man. Danny gave her a baffled look before moving his gaze to the subject of her ire. He had never seen his sister this angry at someone other than himself.
"Who are you?" Danny asked suspiciously.
"Now really!" The man huffed in annoyance, crossing his arms. "Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, and I really don't have time to deal with muggle shenanigans! Did you find Potter or not?" Danny's expression grew into a bitter scowl at the 'muggle shenanigans' comment. Did everyone in the wizard community hate muggles?
"I'm not going to help you take Harry's wand away," he replied coolly.
Fudge's arms dropped, and he stared at Danny indignantly. "We're not interested in taking his wand away! He performed accidental magic - nothing we couldn't fix with a quick spell!" Before Danny had time to lament that his ignored prediction was accurate, Jazz scoffed.
"What he really means is that he cursed Vlad and took away his memory," she interjected crossly.
Danny looked at his sister in confusion until her words sank in. He looked back at the minister in horror. "You erased Vlad's memory?! You had no right to take someone's memory away from them! That's like stealing who they are!"
"Exactly! Not to mention brain damage!" Jazz cried, directing a glare at Fudge.
Fudge sighed in frustration. "The secrecy of the wizarding world is more important than an individual muggle," he defended stubbornly. He turned his scowl at Danny. "Now tell me, boy, did you find Potter? Did he tell you where he was going?"
Jazz huffed, and took a step toward the minister, gaining his attention. "Just because you have magic and more power than muggles doesn't mean you can do whatever you want when it fits your agenda. What you did to Vlad was wrong. He's a human, too, and has the same basic human rights that you do." Jazz stated passionately.
"Yeah, you can't just decide to take memories from people against their will," Danny added, crossing his arms and glaring back at the man. If Danny wasn't so angry, he'd shudder at the fact that he was defending Vlad.
The man scoffed. "You shouldn't argue about things you don't understand. Magical secrecy is necessary in order to prevent chaos."
"So you choose to do what is easy instead of what is right? We've seen that before in history. I fear for your ministry if this is how their minister thinks," Jazz sneered.
The minister seethed. "I should erase your memory for your insolence, girl!" Danny saw a flash of fear cross Jazz's face and stepped forward.
"Another display of the misuse of power," he mocked. "Threaten a girl whose only crime was to speak up for the rights of her fellow muggle."
The minister's face flushed in anger. "Why you-"
"I'm gonna tell Vlad everything that happened, and what you did to him," Danny said savagely before the minister could finish his sentence. "And I assure you, he'll believe me when I tell him."
The minister's face turned red with rage. He opened his mouth to retort.
"Dann-o!" Danny's father called, interrupting the conversation and walking into the room. He grinned down at his son. "Did you find Harry?"
Danny glanced at the minister, watching his furious expression turn smug. He thinks he's getting what he wants, Danny grinned. "No," he stated, taking pleasure as Fudge's expression soured.
"Minister, we got a tip saying that Potter's headed to the Leaky Cauldron," a tall dark-skinned man declared, walking into the living room while looking down at his notes. Maddie followed closely behind him, pausing in confusion at the hostility between her children and the minister. "Looks like he found the Knight bus and took it across-" began the man before looking up and noticing the tension in the room. "Am I interrupting something?"
The minister took a moment to regain his composure and looked at his employee. "Not at all, Kingsley, let's head out," he stated. Before leaving, he turned back to look at Jazz. "Ms. Fenton, it is clear by your knowledge of the memory charm that you've been reading Potter's school books. It is my duty to inform you that it is against wizarding law for muggles to read books on magic. Since you are so young, I will leave you with a warning."
Turning to a glaring Danny, he continued, "Mr. Fenton, I will be keeping my ears out, and if I hear of a single word that suggests the Statute of Secrecy has been broken, we will be taking legal action." He then smirked at the pair. "I would hate to have to use the Memory Charm on the two of you. Know your place." With a pop he was gone.
Kingsley blinked in bewilderment. Shaking his head, he gave the Fentons an apologetic look and apparated.
Danny stared at the empty space. "I bet he would," he retorted sarcastically. He looked from Jazz to his parents. "Those are the type of people that Harry is around all year? No wonder he acts like being a muggle is the end of the world! They can't find him! They'll infect his mind further!" he exclaimed.
"Danny," his mother chided softly. She braced herself as she continued in a concerned voice, "There's a mass murderer looking to kill your brother. The ministry's our only hope to keep Harry safe." Danny looked at his mother in shock. An unsettling feeling crept up his spine.
"I had no idea," he mumbled softly, looking down as apprehension grew. Maybe he should have told the minister where Harry had planned to go.
"How could they threaten us like that in our own home?!" Jazz exclaimed, flailing her arms as she spoke.
Maddie huffed. "What has gotten into you two?" she scolded, looking down at her children. "What caused the Minister of Magic to say such things?"
Jazz sent a glare at her mother, "You weren't there, Mom, when they obliviated Vlad. It was horrible! He had no time to react after they returned him back to his normal size. They cast the curse and just left him on the floor! He just laid there in a daze. As if he couldn't keep a single thought in his head. Then, when his head finally cleared, he was confused and disoriented because he couldn't remember anything. He tried to hide it behind his anger, but I've never seen someone so lost and scared." Jazz looked down sadly, holding her arms together as if she would crumble from stress. Maddie went over and hugged her daughter, while Jack's face took on a sober expression.
"Your father and I will talk to the minister, but in the meantime, you shouldn't anger them, Jazz. They threatened to do the same thing to you," Maddie stated. Jazz nodded in her mothers arms.
"I think I'm going to bed early," she mumbled. Before leaving, she gave Danny a pointed look and made her way upstairs.
Taking the hint, Danny said a quick good night to his parents and followed Jazz upstairs.
They walked through the hallway together in silence.
"Vlad was asking for you," she mentioned softly, so that only Danny could hear.
Danny sighed as he entered his room, leaving the door open for Jazz to follow. "Great, now he's gonna pick on me for something that I didn't even want to happen," he said in exasperation. He sank onto his bed. "What am I gonna do?"
Jazz stopped at the doorway, with a thoughtful look. "I'm not sure," she began slowly, "But Vlad doesn't have a psychologist or even someone to talk to. That's probably why he wants to talk to you." With that she left.
Danny knew she was right, even if talking to the fruitloop was asking for a fight.
"Perfect," He grumbled into his pillows.
When Harry arrived at the Leaky Cauldron, he was horrified to see the Minister of Magic himself waiting for him. The man's calm expression and loose stance did little to soothe his inner panic. A flash of fear and confusion raced through Harry as he wondered how the minister had found him so quickly. Danny must've ratted me out in spite! he thought angrily. He forced his betrayed feelings aside as he faced his current situation. Taking a gulp, he walked up to the man. "Danny told you I was here, didn't he?" he asked in a resigned voice.
Fudge stared at Harry with a thoughtful expression. "Huh…. so he did know where you'd gone after all," he mused. Looking down at the teen before him, he answered, "No, he did not." Harry stared at the minister in silence, as his anger diminished. "Quite the spitfires the Fenton children are. And their parents are considerably unusual muggles…." He clapped his hands with a smile. "Nevertheless, I am glad we found you. We have much to discuss!"
Harry looked at the minister glumly. "Minister, is there anything I can do to keep my wand? I swear I had no idea what was happening until it was too late."
Fudge chuckled, "We wouldn't expel you because you couldn't get along with a family guest! Must have been quite the disagreement for you to lash out." He waved a dismissive hand. "Regardless, Mr. Masters has been returned to his normal size, and his memory has been modified. No harm done," he finished with a grin.
Harry sighed in relief. "So does that mean you'll take me home?" Though he hated the idea of summer school, he didn't want to leave his family so soon after coming home.
The minister pondered his question while Harry shifted uneasily on his feet. If he did go home, he wasn't sure how he'd handle Danny. They couldn't just leave things where they'd left them. Harry shifted his feet in unease. "No," the minister finally replied, "There's a killer on the loose, and I think it would be safest if you stayed here in the Leaky Cauldron for the remainder of your summer. You're welcome to explore Diagon Alley, but please refrain from exploring the muggle streets." Harry nodded and swallowed his disappointment. Hadn't he just chosen to leave his family to fight for his place in the magical community? he thought. He should just be glad he would still see them over Christmas Break.
Wrapping an arm around Harry, the minister pulled him towards the bar. "Come, now, let's get you to your room."
A/N - Did I replace Aunt Marge with Vlad? Why yes, yes I did.
Danny's and Harry's argument was actually the first thing I'd written for this fic. It started when my roommate and I had an argument about the flaws of the wizarding world but mainly covered their treatment towards muggles. I never expected this to develop as much as it did, and I'm happy to see the support it's been given.
As always, send me your thoughts and comments! Were you upset when Danny he asked Harry to stay? Did Harry jumped to conclusions too quickly? Would the harpoon have worked on Vlad?! Let me know!
Also - I changed the name from Evanescence (to disappear) to Evanesco (spell used to vanish objects) so that it didn't sound so much like the band.